Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Using AI, researchers have created the first map of a protein group known as the Commander complex, which functions as a "postal worker" in the body. The new understanding opens the door to new drugs and modalities for fighting a range of conditions.

Zoonotic viruses, which sees bugs jump from vertebrates to humans, are one of the big global health concerns that keep scientists up at night - not least because one caused the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, AI is out to help make sure history never repeats.

If there's one thing that the past few years have made us of aware of, it's the danger of respiratory viruses. An inhalable powder may one day help temporarily protect against them, by working with the natural layer of mucus in users' lungs.

Two new studies have highlighted the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 infections during pregnancy, finding placental abnormalities and fetal haemorrhages. Researchers are now investigating whether there are long-lasting neurodevelopmental effects.

Using machine learning to track symptom clusters in around 35,000 COVID patients, researchers have identified four distinct types of long COVID. The findings suggest long COVID is a diverse disease with a wide variety of clinical manifestations.

In the most comprehensive autopsy tissue study conducted to date, researchers have found traces of SARS-CoV-2 throughout the entire body, from the brain to the heart. The findings support research into antiviral drugs as possible treatment for long COVID.

CDC projections estimate a new SARS-CoV-2 variant called XBB.1.5 has exploded in prevalence across the US in a few short weeks. It was first detected in New York and early studies indicate it can more effectively bind to human cells than prior variants.

It's often hard to see the forest from the trees but if we zoom out a little it becomes clear 2022 saw some incredible breakthroughs in the world of medical science. All of these stories are landmark moments that are set to shape the future of medicine.

By modifying an off-the-shelf Wi-Fi router with a firmware update and using a deep-learning algorithm, scientists have been able to detect breathing patterns that indicate respiratory distress in a medical mannequin.

A new report offers the most detailed estimate to date of pandemic-related deaths, finding up to the end of 2021 there were nearly 15 million deaths associated with COVID around the world. The estimate is triple the officially reported mortality figures.

An impressive new study is pointing to a new kind of treatment to protect the vulnerable from COVID-19. The research revealed an old drug derived from bear bile and used for liver disease can block a crucial pathway used by SARS-CoV-2 to enter human cells.

A study looking at post-mortem brain tissue samples has found severe COVID-19 is associated with molecular signs of brain aging. The researchers warn potential long-term neurological problems could emerge in the years following the pandemic.